Total Hardik Pandya Show: The last four years have been trying for Hardik Pandya. He had to be carried off a stretcher in the Asia Cup 2018 match against Pakistan at the same Dubai International Stadium due to a back injury. The injury to his back had just started. However, he finds atonement 1439 days later. Jr. Pandya led India to a 5-wicket victory over Pakistan to atone for their T20 World Cup defeat with figures of 3/25 and 17-ball 33.
Hardik Pandya has only participated in 33 T20Is and 25 ODIs over the past four years, missing the most of his career due to back injuries. After a disastrous performance in the T20 World Cup, particularly against Pakistan where he failed to bowl a single over, he faced harsh criticism. However, Hardik Pandya the all-rounder is back in top condition after a 5-month total hiatus.
Hardik has taken 11 wickets in Twenty20 international matches since making a comeback from injury, and he has 314 runs in 14 games. He once again produced with the bat and the ball on Sunday.
The wickets of Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Khushdil Shah were among the highlights of his outstanding 3/25 session. He shook Pakistan’s middle order with that spell while India kept them to 147 runs.
“In bowling, it’s crucial to judge the situations and deploy your weapons. My skills have been bowling short, hard distances. Regarding his 3/25 bowling statistics, Hardik Pandya remarked, “It’s about using them correctly and asking the appropriate questions to make the hitters commit a mistake.
Why Hardik Pandya is so important to India’s hopes of winning the T20 World Cup?
India’s missing piece in the puzzle is Hardik.
India has the balance they need because to his all-around contribution to the lineup.
In T20s, India can afford to play one pacer less if he’s available because he can bowl those 4 overs.
If the circumstances allow, India may also use an additional spinner or a skilled finisher like Dinesh Karthik.
- Hardik is not only a help to the pace bowling department but also a powerful weapon because he is bowling at full speed at 140kph+.
- He still has two of the best arsenals against batters in the world, including off-cutters and short balls.
- His bowling was much missed by India during the T20 World Cup.
- He did not bowl in the T20 WC match against Pakistan, which was won by 10 wickets thanks to Babar Azam and Mohd Rizwan.
- He just bowled two overs against New Zealand, and both his pace and rhythm were absolutely off.
- India lost two devastating games and was eliminated from the competition.
- But now that he is back to full strength in both bowling and batting, India can once more dream.
- He will be a serious threat on Australian pitches that bounce, and he will still be the difference on slower pitches.
- Thanks to him, India can afford a supplemental batter like Dinesh Karthik or Deepak Hooda in Australia.
- He plays the similar job in ODIs. He is an essential sixth bowler who has the ability to end partnerships by bowling those 5-7 overs.
- Despite Karthik being a terrific option, he is India’s finest finisher with the bat.
He can take on pacers in the final overs in addition to playing well against spin in the middle overs.
While Bhuvneshwar Kumar outperformed him with the ball, Hardik was also exceptional with the bat. In the 15th over, with India still needing 59 runs off 34 balls, he entered the field at No. 6. It was challenging to manage Naseem Shah’s, Shahnawaz Dahani’s, and Haris Rauf’s death overs in addition to Mohammad Nawaz’s since the pitch provided no aid to the batters.
Hardik, however, remained composed. After getting past Naseem in the 15th over with a boundary, he struggled against Dahani and Rauf in the following two overs. He didn’t lose patience, though.
He took control in the 19th over, slamming Rauf for three boundaries to all but end the game. With just 7 needed from the final over, Ravindra Jadeja would have anticipated a spectacular end. However, his careless shot allowed Nawaz to dismiss him on the first ball of the final over. Dinesh Karthik provided the single for him with 7 required off of 5.
Hardik’s shot, though, was blocked by the deep-cover as he sent it right there. But in what was his MS Dhoni moment, he put the game away by hammering Nawaz for a big six to give Pakistan the winning blow and send India packing. He was therefore also brought to redemption.
In a hunt like this, you should always plan ahead. I have always known that there is a left-arm spinner and a young bowler. Even if we had required 15, I would have believed in myself even if we just needed 7 off the final over. It’s about confidence rather than ego. In the 20th over, I am aware that the bowler is under greater pressure than I am. Hardik Pandya said of his 17-ball, 33-run match-winning knock, “I try to keep things simple.
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